69.
I walked into Shaurya's room and found him lying on the bed like an overgrown child-arms and legs spread out dramatically, sulking as if someone stole his candy. I approached quietly and sat down on the edge of the bed. He immediately turned his face the other way.
Is he... actually doing this?
"Shaurya, are you okay?" I asked.
Silence.
Alright then. I reached out, turned him toward me, and slipped myself into his arms anyway.
"God, are you seriously angry at her?" I asked.
"I didn't even get a single good moment with you since I came here. That woman just hates me," he muttered, irritation dripping from every word.
"I don't think she hates you, but... okay." I nodded gently.
No good moment since he came here? Seriously? This man must have short-term memory loss. He literally fucked me just two nights ago.
"Fineee, don't sulk like a kid now," I said, brushing my thumb along his jaw. "You can have your good moment with me now since we're alone, you know..."
"I don't think I'm in the mood right now." He sighed and draped his arm across his forehead, covering his eyes.
...Did this man just reject me?
"Not even if I call you Daddy?"
He peeked at me from under his arm.
"Aarav, you told me we can't have sex again until we get married," he said, sounding like a child told he can't have chocolate before dinner.
Right. That was indeed something I said. Things were moving too fast again, and I didn't want another disaster. And honestly? I'm not ready for all that again. Not right this second. But I do want to marry him again-because I genuinely can't picture a life where he isn't my husband.
Shaurya turned toward me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. One of my legs ended up draped over his waist as he buried his face in my neck.
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "That didn't sound right. I always have my good moments with you, Aarav. I don't want you only for sex."
And just like that, my heart melted all over again. That's Shaurya for you. The more you learn about him, the deeper you fall. And now? Now he's more open, more vocal, more him. I love this version of him. He's perfect.
His skin felt warm against mine-he was sweating. Summers in Udaipur really are hell. I chuckled softly, pulled away just enough to grab the AC remote, and switched it on.
"Come back here," I ordered, opening my arms.
He didn't waste a second. He snuggled right back, and I slid my fingers through his hair with one hand while scrolling through my phone with the other.
Instagram opened. Riley Josephs and Cole Conti-Hollywood's dream couple. They'd just gotten married, and everything about the wedding was perfect. Normal. Beautiful. Something Shaurya and I could never have in this country.
Shaurya peeked at my screen again.
"We should kiss like that on our wedding day. In front of everyone," he said.
"Ha, taaki pura samaj hum dono ko tharki ghoshit kar de," I scoffed.
Shaurya sighed, long and heavy. He took my phone and placed it aside on the nightstand. I sighed but leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead as we settled back into the warmth of the sheets.
His hand slid under my T-shirt a moment later-slow, warm, deliberate. His fingertips traced lazy patterns up and down my spine before drifting lower. He massaged the small of my back like he knew exactly where the tension sat.
God, that felt good.
Then... his hand kept going. Lower. And lower.
Before I could protest, his fingers slipped inside my trousers and then under my boxers, cupping me like he owned me.
"Shaurya," I warned.
"You never said I can't touch you," he murmured, completely unapologetic as he lazily drew circles on my butt.
I groaned. "You're really-"
He smirked into my neck and kept moving his hand, slow and confident. His palm was huge, warm, unfairly perfect. I grabbed his bicep out of frustration-or maybe to stop myself from melting. Big mistake. The man was built like a damn wall.
Why did I say we can't have sex? Why is he so hot? Why is self-control even a thing?
"Your skin feels nice," he murmured.
My face instantly heated. Great. Blushing like a teenager now.
"I shaved," I muttered. "It was embarrassing enough you saw me all hairy that day. You don't like it."
Because he absolutely had an obsession with my inner thighs. And smoothness. And making me lose my mind.
Shaurya's voice dropped, sinful and low.
"I can't wait to eat you again."
I fought the tremor that shot through me.
"Hmmm. Whatever," I said, pretending to be unfazed.
I was absolutely fazed.
"Daddy?"
'Hmm?"
"Kiss me," I said.
His hand slipped out of my boxers immediately, and he shifted, propping himself up so our faces were level.
He cupped my jaw with both hands-warm, steady-before leaning in.
The kiss started soft, like he was savoring the moment, but I wasn't in the mood for gentle.
I tugged at his hair-well, tried to. His hair is so damn short I can barely get a grip, so I slid my hands down instead, unbuttoning his shirt and spreading my palms over his chest.
God. Hard. Broad. Hot.
He exhaled through his nose, grip tightening on my waist before he rolled, flipping us with zero effort. I ended up straddling him, sitting on him like I weighed nothing at all. His hands held my hips, thumbs stroking my skin like he owned every inch.
"Aarav..." he whispered, voice low, eyes pinned on me like I was the only thing in this world that mattered. "Please come home with me."
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Kya hua abhi?" Ravi asked as he picked up the FaceTime call from his younger sister.
Haya appeared on the screen looking exhausted.
"Dadi jaan aa gayi hain ghar. Ab kalesh hone wala hai, aur kya," she said with a dramatic sigh, turning the camera toward their mother.
Ravi narrowed his eyes.
"Yeh khatun aate ko ghoosa kyun maar rahi hai?" he asked, watching his mother punching the dough like it owed her money.
His mother heard that and glared.
"Bilkul sahi! Aate ko ghoosa kyun maar rahi hoon? Tum teeno ki gardan pe maarna chahiye tha bachpan mein!"
Ravi groaned.
"Dadi jaan ka gussa hum pe na nikale".
His mother scoffed.
"Tum chup hi raho toh acha hai. Dadi jaan ke chamche. Dono behno ko bigaad rakha hai, aur taane mujhe sunne padte hain."
Ravi sighed.
"Ab kya kar diya in dono ne?"
"Apne shohar se jhagra karke aayi hai, tumhari laadli"."
Ravi muttered under his breath,
"Woh toh waise bhi daayan hai..."
Haya gasped dramatically.
"Bhai! Maine sun liya. Aapne baaji ko daayan bola!"
"Tu chup kar yaar. Ma ko dikha phone," Ravi said, rubbing his forehead.
His mother washed her hands, snatched the phone from Haya, and stared at him.
"Bas. Ab tumhari wajah se Dadi jaan mujhe taane degi. 'Beta bigaada hua hai'-sab kuch mujhpe aayega."
Ravi shrugged helplessly.
"Koi nahi... thoda jhel lo."
After some time, both mother and sister started arguing with each other in the background.
Ravi didn't even wait-he pressed End Call and exhaled deeply.
"Your family is cute," Yug said.
He had been sitting on the couch the whole time, watching the chaotic little family scene with a soft smile tugging at his lips.
His hair was a complete mess, he wasn't even wearing a shirt, and his body felt limp every time he leaned back-understandable, considering he had thrown up twice after reaching his apartment.
Ravi was honestly impressed that a human being could puke that much.
"Quite annoying sometimes," Ravi replied, shrugging. "Anyway, you look sober enough now. I'm going."
"Wait-are you going back to Amritnagar?" Yug asked.
"No. I have to be at Aarav's place tomorrow. He texted me."
"Ohh. Well... bye. Thanks again."
"Yeah."
Ravi gave a short nod and turned to leave.
Yug pushed himself up-still a little dizzy-intending to walk him to the door. As he stepped closer, Ravi suddenly froze mid-stride. His brows pulled together, his breath hitching just slightly.
He could smell Yug.
Not cologne. Not alcohol. Something else-warm, slightly sweet, something that made him blink once in confusion.
It was... nice. Way nicer than he expected.
Yug frowned. "What?"
Ravi jerked out of whatever moment he'd slipped into.
"Nothing."
He shook his head sharply, almost aggressively, and stormed out of the apartment before Yug could say anything else.
The door clicked shut.
Yug stared at it for a second.
"Weird," he muttered under his breath and flopped back down onto the sofa.